Comments on: PSA’s Gone Wild – Falling Bears and Perverted Soap

By: Magister

Magister — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:51:50 +0000

PS/Disclaimer: Obviously I wasn’t in New York on that fateful day, but neither was most of the world. Though the imagery was quite vivid, most of us just watched it on tv.

By: Magister

Magister — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:28:28 +0000

@Tommy: I don’t mean to sound contrary, though perhaps I have a contrarian stance on the 9/11 imagery question because I’m of the mind that it happened almost ten years ago, it could be time to get past it and not be reminded in every image that is remotely similar.

Otherwise, I don’t actually think the advertisement effectively communicates it’s message, so that might be a reason to rag on it, but I really didn’t see 9/11 in it. Not to mention that if the blogs here weren’t reposting the ad, then those most affected by that day would never have seen it.

By: Tommy Christopher

Tommy Christopher — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:17 +0000

Magister, I think you’re just being contrary here. The evocation is not subtle at all. As I said in my piece, the fact that it’s a UK spot means it might not have been intentional, but to those of us for whom this remains a “sore spot,” it ain’t a reach.

By: Magister

Magister — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:39:13 +0000

@BuckwheatPicard: I originally saw the polar bear commercial last week via Gawker and I rewatched it after Mr. Christopher invoked 9/11. I realize that it may still be a sore spot with some people, but there has to come a time when all video isn’t viewed through that prism, especially when the buildings aren’t that tall and the commercial is from overseas.

For almost a generation, trash cans were blowing up around London, but it had no effect on our media; The Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg, but there was a movie made about it in ’97; Planes occasionally crash and kill lots of people, but the subject is often fodder for drama and even the occasional comedy.

I just think seeing 9/11 in this uneffective ad is quite a reach.

By: BuckwheatPicard

BuckwheatPicard — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:22:56 +0000

@magister
jet planes in a downtown and bodies raining form the sky?
have you not seen (or heard in some cases) the footage?

By: Magister

Magister — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:30:58 +0000

I don’t see the 9/11 imagery in the polar bear ad. Is it because there are tall buildings, falling objects or sky? Maybe I’m missing something, but if everything involving one of these concepts is going to be “evocative of 9/11″ or off-limits, speech in this country (and the world, since this is a UK ad) will become severely limited.